How many times per week leading up to hunt do you train with weighted pack

[deerkiller]

Pain is temporary.

not hardly …...

 

[GotDraw?]

put drill an old truck tire, put a rope through it and hook it to your deer-drag harness. Drag that tire around some flat Kanasas parking lots. Too easy? Throw a sandbag or two on the front of the tire and drag faster...

JL

I live in a part of Kansas where the closest towns are in the 100s and the closest McDonald's or wal mart is over a hour away lol. We have a gym well kinda. Town old folk gym with a few treadmills and basic stuff.

They are open when in at work and closed when I'm off. Is what it is so I'm stuck to the outdoors.

 

[Rmauch20]

I live in a part of Kansas where the closest towns are in the 100s and the closest McDonald's or wal mart is over a hour away lol. We have a gym well kinda. Town old folk gym with a few treadmills and basic stuff.

They are open when in at work and closed when I'm off. Is what it is so I'm stuck to the outdoors.

I take it your in the western half as well. Wilson lake and Cedar bluff state park have hiking trails, nothing extreme but better then nothing.

I usually get 3-4 pack workouts a week with a 50 bag of water softener salt. I don’t plan on going any heavier. Once I get my order of buckles from Kifaru my new pack will be ready to assemble.

 

[Lschloss]

Ive been packing probaly about 30 or so lbs of apples along with another 15ish lbs of gear to where my tree stand is. Doing a little scouting then hike out (w/o apples obviously). Round trip is around 4 miles usually and i do some jogging on the way out to make up for lack of weight in my pack. Been making it out and back in about 1.5 hours.

Still do regular cardio and strength training a few times a week.

 

[justinspicher]

I think the decision how much/often to use your pack is the same question you can ask yourself on how much/often you should shoot your bow or rifle leading up to the season. There is no real right or wrong answer, as it is a very personal choice.

I carry a pack almost every day, but I don't carry much, probably around 25lbs, at the most. This is only different if I am staying out for more that a few days and not just taking my pack for a daily walk. Some days are faster than others...….

 

[YouDoYou]

3 days weighted hikes - 3 days running - 1 day rest

 

[Sleeperls]

Finally got to get sime real time in on the mountains. 40 pound pack camp/spotting scope etc no issues with the legs or back. Just need some bigger lungs.

I didnt die, but deff had to takes somes breaks, but one ridge gained a 1000 plus feet in less than 600 yards. Had to use poles to make it up. Once i was able to side hill i was golden. But straight up i deff had the heart a going.

Ill be focusing on that the rest of the months leading up.

 

[Bcoonce117]

I live in the flatlands and my new workout/ training is, 45lb plate strapped on my pack walking up stairs at a local stadium. 2 times a week. I go up faster than down. I try to be gentle on the way down. Overtime that impact on your knees can be killer. But with closest mountains to hike being at least an hour away, these do just fine.

 

[Randonee]

I agree with TB. I personally like to hike with pack as my favorite workout , but as i age i think it wears on knees and hips. So I do less weight 30-35 pounds for most hikes and save one day for 50-60 lbs. Cardio of some sort or weight training on other days.
Fo what you like most so you keep at it.
Good luck

This is what works for me as I get older as well. The main and most important part is to keep at it. Don’t take weeks off unless you need to. Find things you enjoy, and don’t feel like your exercise needs to be perfect or it’s not worth doing.

 

[Sleeperls]

4 weeks out still going to the gym every day. Even do a little running and trying to get into weight training. Have a shoulder impingement issue that slows me down.

Sitting 35 pounds lighter than i started. Already looking forward to training for next year and the hunt hasnt happened

 

[Prairiekid]

Just curious. My shape would be called round. 33 weeks to go, but I have a tendency to go to hard to fast.

Been doing 3 times a week, but trying to decide if i should do more. Doing 50 pound pack 1 to 2 mile hike depending. Going to extend this over time.



I live at a lower elevation 2000, 2200. Hunting elevation 7 to 10k

Hunting pack hopefully will be 35 40.

I hope you found the shape you were looking for! I feel that most people undervalue the work a treadmill can do. Get a weight vest or use your hunting pack and load it to your desired weight. I personally think that less weight and more time on the treadmill will get you further. From there you can control the speed and incline on the treadmill. You can easy get the heart rate going, most treadmills should get to 15%. Of course you can supplement with lots of hikes outside, that way you can get some downhill. But when people get busy they can always turn on the tv or ipad and hike on the treadmill for 60 min. Because it's all uphill it's 60 min of true work and less impact on the knees. Good luck!

 

[*zap*]

I am doing the majority of my ruck training program on a treadmill, controlled speed and durations with incremental increases in time and weight. 4mph is a good speed. Alternating distance and heavy shorter rucks with jogging in between rucks. Everything is being advanced gradually at a 10% approx. every two weeks rate. Also doing full body strength training...….Looking at 12 months timeframe to get to where I want to be for the rucking/running.

 

[Sleeperls]

I just go in and max out the incline and walk for 15 30 then run/walk for abother 30. Sometimes i do rows, sometimes i bike etc
5 days a week. Weight has stabalized but ive been eating bad. 1 more week of the gym then im going to take the week off before hunt and rest, carb up and be ready to rock and roll.

Can tell ya that even tho im still a little tubby short. Im as ready as ill ever be

 

[chujing]

2-3

 

[AK_Skeeter]

I am 63 years old and just retired, so I have time.
I'm built like giraffe, 6'4" 200 lbs.

My winter routine is to hike with a 50lb pack in the hills, leaving my house,
and walking the neighborhood roads. I do that 2-3 days in a row,
then double the walking distance with no pack the next day.
Right now that's been at 20 below and packed snow.

I gradually increase distance with weighted pack and walking with no pack,
but I do not increase weight above 50lbs as endurance is most important for me. I take Sunday's off, and hike the other 6 days of the week.

As it gets above 0F, I cross-country ski on the days I am not backpacking.

I like packing with a weighted pack so I can fine-tune my 2 backpacks,
and I like the convenience of doing a loop right out of my house,
starting with a climb up to the top of the ridge and also a climb
at the end of my loop. I always pack and walk with treking poles.

The only weight lifting I do is logging for firewood and construction stuff
like 60lb blocks for retaining wall etc.

I do backpack camping trips scouting in sheep country after snow melts so that helps too...then twice a week works well for me. I think it's important to backpack where your feet and ankles get used to sidehilling, steep downs, and steep ups....that would be tough to do on stadium stairs especially the muscles used for sidehilling and toughening up the feet.

 

[mtwarden]

I don't actively ruck train until about 10 weeks out (I do rack up 30-40 miles/week hiking/trail running), but do often hike/backpack outside that time frame w/ a pack.

10 weeks out I start to use a weighted pack, starting w/ 35#'s- 2-3 times a week, ~ 4-7 miles each; after two weeks I bump it up to 45#'s, same regime, two weeks later 55#'s (same regime)- the last two weeks I back it off to 35 lbs again

I found anything much past 60#'s just invites nagging injuries, exactly what you don't want leading into hunting season

 

[Mban2]

While I am not a big hunter, I can move very, very fast under a ruck. If you want to be ready for a big backpacking hunt, you need to plan months out and start laying a solid base of endurance. I recommend rucking twice a week:

Day 1: pure walking, time should start at around an hour and slowly work up to 3 hours. You are walking at maximum effort for the entire time. Weight should start at roughly 60 percent of what your load will be during the hunt. It will creep up at a steady rate.

Day 2: should be a heavier day that is focued on time under weight. This should start at about 80 percent of your hunting weight. Every other week should rotate from 80 percent up to 120 percent and then back down to 80 percent the following week.

You should fit in one day of biking a week with a focus on keeping a steady cadence with your pedaling. The rest of the days should be strength training the vital stability muscles and a lot of recovery work.

If you are under weight a lot, then you need to recover a lot. I would really look into an extensive recovery plan at least twice a week if you are doing this seriously

 

[LostArra]

8-10 weeks out I start with the pack. Increase weight over the first 2-3 weeks.

I taper down the last 7-10 days. I would prefer to start a big hunt "over-rested" than not fully recovered from training.

I do everything in my power to avoid a treadmill for any training. I will hike in the rain or dark of night before subjecting myself to that stupid machine.